托马斯·哈代著名的小说莫过于《德伯家的苔丝》,但他也创作了大量的短篇故事。其中大多数取材于哈代在英格兰南部居住时,周围村庄的人们给他讲述的故事。 Thomas Hardy is probably best known for his novels such as Tess of the d’Urbervilles, but he also wrote a great number of short stories. Many of them were based on stories told by people in the villages around where he lived in the south of England. 人有相似,无论他们生活在城镇还是乡村,在当代还是一百年前。 People are the same, whether they live in the town or the country, today or a hundred years ago. 一个牧羊少年惊恐地睁大了双眼,从他的小棚屋中往外窥视一个女人和一个并非她丈夫的男人秘密约会。 From his hut a young shepherd boy watches, wide-eyed and afraid, a secret meeting between a woman and a man who is not her husband. 一个年轻女教师原本要回家嫁给一个比自己大得多的男人,却因做了一时冲动的事而改变了自己的生活。 A young teacher, going home to marry a much older man, has a moment of madness that will change her life. 不过,还是让我们从一座孤零零的村舍的敲门声说起吧。屋内灯光明亮、气氛欢快,人们伴随着音乐翩翩起舞,玩得很开心。屋外大雨滂沱,顺着山间小路走来的陌生人凝视着灯火通明的窗户。他是该继续赶路,还是停下来歇歇、坐在温暖的炉火边吃点东西呢? But we begin with a knock on the door at a lonely cottage. Inside, all is bright and cheerful, with music and dancing, and people enjoying themselves. Outside, the rain beats down, and the stranger following the footpath across the wild hills stares at the lighted windows. Should he go on, or can he stop for a while, to find rest and food and a seat by a warm fire?
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When the end of July arrived, Baptista was in no hurry to return home to the island. She was not planning to buy any special clothes for the wedding, and her parents were making all the other arrangements. So she did not leave Tor-upon-Sea until the Saturday before her wedding. She travelled by train to the town of Pen-zephyr, but when she arrived, she found that the boat to St Maria’s had left early, and there was no other boat until Tuesday. ’I’ll have to stay here until then,’ she thought. ’It’s too far to go back to Mrs Wace’s.’ She did not seem to mind this — in fact, she was almost happy to wait another three nights before seeing her future husband.
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她在一家小旅馆找了个房间,把行李放好,然后到小镇上去逛逛。
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She found a room in a small hotel, took her luggage there, then went out for a walk round the town.
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“巴普蒂丝塔?没错,是巴普蒂丝塔!”
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Baptista? Yes, Baptista it is!’
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这话从她背后传来。她吓了一跳,转过身盯着对方。“哦,真的是你吗,查尔斯?”她说。
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The words came from behind her. Turning round, she gave a jump, and stared. ’Oh, is it really you, Charles?’ she said.
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来者似笑非笑地上下打量了她一番。他好像对她有些气恼,但却一言不发。
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With a half-smile the newcomer looked her up and down. He appeared almost angry with her, but he said nothing.
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“我正准备回家,”她接着说,“但却没赶上船。”
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I’m going home,’ she continued, ’but I’ve missed the boat.’
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他似乎对此不感兴趣。“还在教书吗?”他说道,“你一定是个好老师吧,巴普蒂丝塔,我敢肯定!”
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He did not seem interested in this news. ’Still teaching?’ he said. ’What a fine teacher you make, Baptista, I’m sure!’
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她知道这并非他的本意。“我知道我并不擅长教书,”她答道,“所以我辞职了。”
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She knew that was not his real meaning. ’I know I’m not very good at teaching, ’she replied.’ That’s why I’ve stopped.’
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“哦,你辞职了?这太让人吃惊了。”
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Oh, you’ve stopped? You surprise me.’
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“我讨厌教书。”
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I hate teaching.’
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“也许那是因为我是个老师。”
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Perhaps that’s because I’m a teacher.’
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“哦,不,当然不是。因为我要开始新的生活。下周我就要嫁给戴维·赫德根先生了。”
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Oh no, it isn’t. It’s because I’m starting a new life. Next week I’m going to marry Mr David Heddegan.’
So, no longer a schoolteacher, just a shopkeeper’s wife. I knew you would never succeed as a teacher. You’re like a woman who thinks she can be a great actress just because she has a beautiful face, and forgets she has to be able to act. But you found out your mistake early, didn’t you?’
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“别扫我的兴,查尔斯。”巴普蒂丝塔忧伤地说。
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Don’t be unpleasant to me, Charles,’ Baptista said sadly.
I’m not being unpleasant — I’m just saying what is true, in a friendly way — although I do have good reason to be unpleasant to you. What a hurry you’ve been in, Baptista! I do hate a woman in a hurry!’
Well — in a hurry to be somebody’s wife. Any husband is better than no husband for you, it seems. You couldn’t wait for me, oh no! Well, thank God, that’s all in the past for me!’
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“等你?这是什么意思,查理?你从没表现出对我有什么特别的感觉呀。”
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Wait for you? What does that mean, Charley? You never showed that you felt anything special for me.’
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“哦,是真的吗,亲爱的巴普蒂丝塔!”
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Oh really, Baptista dear!’
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“我是说,我不敢确定。我猜你是有一点喜欢我,可我并不认为你真的会正儿八经地跟我订婚。”
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What I mean is, there was nothing that I could be sure of. I suppose you liked me a little, but I didn’t think you meant to make an honest engagement of it.’
As they walked on, away from the town and into the fields, her shoulder and his were close together. He held her arm with a strong hand. This seemed to say, ’Now I hold you, and you must do what I want.’
How strange that we should meet like this!’ said the young man. ’You and I could be husband and wife, going on our honeymoon together. But instead of that, we’ll say goodbye in half an hour, perhaps for ever. Yes, life is strange!’
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她停下了脚步。“我得回去了。这太痛苦了,查理!你今天太不友善了。”
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She stopped walking. ’I must go back. This is too painful, Charley! You’re not being kind today.’
I don’t want to hurt you — you know I don’t,’ he answered more gently. ’But it makes me angry — what you’re going to do. I don’t think you should marry him.’
Why?’ he asked, speaking more seriously now. ’It’s never too late to stop a wedding if you’re not happy with it. Now — you could marry me, instead of him, although you were in too much of a hurry to wait for me!’
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“哦,想想就知道那是不可能的!”她摇着头喊道,“家里肯定已经把婚礼的一切都准备停当了!”
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Oh, it isn’t possible to think of that!’ she cried, shaking her head. ’At home everything will be ready for the wedding!’
If we marry, it must be at once. This evening you can come back with me to Trufal, the town where I live. We can get married there on Tuesday, and then no Mr David Heddegan, or anyone else, can take you away from me!’
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“可我必须坐星期二的船回家,”她焦虑地说,“如果我没回家,他们会怎么想呢?”
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But I must go home on the Tuesday boat,’ she said worriedly. ’What will they think if I don’t arrive?’
You can go home on that boat just the same. The only difference is that I’ll go with you. You’ll tell your parents that you’ve married a young man with a good job, someone that you met at the training college. When I meet them, they’ll accept that we’re married and it can’t be changed. And you won’t be miserable for ever as the wife of an awful old man. Now honestly, you do like me best, don’t you, Baptista?’